


Battle on the Tower

by DwaejiTokki



Category: Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Genre: F/M, Unrequited Love, spell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-08-14
Packaged: 2018-04-14 16:55:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4572321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DwaejiTokki/pseuds/DwaejiTokki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A telling of Beauty and Beast through the eyes of Gaston, who desperately loves Belle.</p><p>Or, in which Gaston isn't the villain we think he is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting Belle

 

Chapter 1:  Meeting Belle

"Beast!" Belle cried, her voice just carrying over the pounding rain.

"Belle?"  The Beast looked up at the balcony, which Belle looked over with relieved eyes. She extended her hand to him . He began to scale the castle tower, and when he reached the railing he flung himself heavily over the side. "You came back! " he sighed, caressing her face with a large hand.

The lovers shared a relieved look, and stared passionately into each other's eyes. Belle  lovingly took his hand in both of hers.  Neither took notice of the freezing rain.

The moment was interrupted as  Beast roared in pain, arching his back. Gaston had snuck up behind him and stabbed him. He pulled the knife free from the cursed prince's flesh and swung his arm back to strike again. The Beast began to fall, and Gaston suddenly lost his balance. A helpless Belle reached forward and grabbed the collar of Beast's shirt, saving him from doom.  The less fortunate  Gaston dropped the knife as he lost his grip, and he plummeted from the tower, arms  pinwheeling. The last he saw was Belle, and the Beast in her arms.

It wasn't fair at all, Gaston thought in the split second before he hit the ground.

* * *

"Leave him alone, you big bullies!" cried a righteous voice behind him.   

The three boys looked up and made to sneer in reply, but then turned tail and ran shouting when they were pelted with rocks. She chased them a little ways before slowing and hurling the last of her arsenal, then wiped her hands on her blue skirt and turned back.

A lanky preteen  wiped his icy blue eyes with the back of his hand as the pretty girl approached. She was his age, and had kind brown eyes that complemented her soft auburn hair. The girl brushed a lock behind her ear as she bent down. "Are you okay?"

He nodded his head of jet black hair but didn't meet her gaze. His ears stuck out rather far, and his skin had a severe case of acne that clashed with his freckles. His gangly limbs seemed too long for his body, and his cleft chin was far too big for his face. His eyes were certainly the boy's best feature, but now they were rimmed red from  crying.

"Don't mind them," she said sternly. "They're just bullies. They do it to feel better about themselves." When he didn't reply, she stuck out a hand. "I'm Belle."

He stared at her hand dumbly, then took it in his own. She pulled him to his feet, and he dusted off his breeches. There was no helping the grass stains on his stockings. "Gaston  LeGume," he replied, looking down at her. He was several inches taller than her.

"Gaston," she repeated. "I've never seen you here before."

"No," he said, looking around to see that they were alone. "I just arrived here yesterday ."

"Really?" Belle asked. "Then have you been around the town yet?"

"Uh, not really," Gaston replied. 

"Would you like to go with me? I can show you around," she smiled. "I also have to return this book." She reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out a small picture book.

"O--Okay," Gaston stammered. 

Belle took his arm in her own and led the way toward the dirt path that ran past the field to the town. It was spring, and the flowers were in full bloom, exuding their sweet scents into the cool air. A gentle breeze played, and a flock of birds called above them. All in all, it was a beautiful day.

"So, Gaston," Belle said as they walked, "what do you like to do?"

A grin broke out on his face, revealing straight white teeth. "I like to do lots of things. I'm good at hunting, archery, and, uh, eating," he said.

Belle laughed. "You must have quite the talent, Gaston! Me, I like to read. Adventures in far-off places, brave heroes who rescue  damsels in distress from terrifying monsters...I love those."

"Heroes?" Gaston repeated thoughtfully. "Have you ever met a real hero?"

"Well, no," she admitted. "They are just stories, after all. But if you have imagination, anything is possible! That's what my father always says."

"Really," he said in a tone that suggested he had lost interest in the conversation. "Well, I don't read much anyway. Boring."

Belle looked slightly put out. "Oh," she said. "Okay. I guess we like different things, then." She laughed a little awkwardly.

They had reached the town. 

"Here's the--Gaston?" She looked back at him when he stopped.

His icy blue eyes studied her. "If it's all the same to you," he said suddenly, "I think I'll go back home. I don't want a grand tour of this dumpy town."

Belle seemed very confused, but released his arm and watched his back as he walked away. When he glanced over his shoulder, she had continued on her way to the bookstore and disappeared into the crowd. He went onwards, kicking a stone ahead of himself as he walked.

Gaston wasn't sure why he had decided to turn her away. She had been nothing but nice to him from the moment she helped him. After a moment of reflection, he surmised that she was weird and he would avoid her. It had nothing to do with that he had suddenly been reminded of his parents; he was over that. It didn't matter that she spoke in the same kind manner as his mother had, or that she liked to read almost as much as his father. No, she was simply annoying him.

He looked out over the green field and spotted several small cottages in the distance. Belle lived in one of them, he was sure, since she had come from that direction. Gaston turned in the other direction, toward the forest. There were fewer houses there, but that only meant fewer neighbors, which he thought was fine. He had just moved into the house nearest to the town, bringing what little belongings he had managed to salvage from the ashes of his former home. 

The owners of the house  were his aunt and uncle. They had a son his age, who instantly  befriended Gaston despite the fact that they had never met. Gaston could never call his cousin by his name with a straight face: it was a girl's name no matter how you looked at it. Petit  LeFou, it was. Gaston called him LeFou.

As Gaston approached the home, he spotted LeFou on the doorstep, tossing a ball to himself. He was terrible at catching, and dropped the bean-filled sack each time. He seemed to be enjoying himself, however, so Gaston said nothing and simply sat down beside him.

"Hi there, Gaston," greeted the chubby boy. His button nose was squashed between two rosy cheeks, and his front teeth were gapped and crooked. He was also rather short for his age.

"LeFou," Gaston said. "Do you think I'm ugly?"

"Eh?" LeFou dropped the ball again but didn't bother to pick it up. He turned to his cousin. "What do you mean? I think you're great!"

"No, I mean on the outside, LeFou."

LeFou laughed. "Of course not. Everyone looks different, and looks don't really matter, anyway."

"Yes, they do," Gaston said vehemently, and LeFou sobered immediately at the tone. "If you aren't beautiful, you have to work all your life and get nothing out of it. This world is run by good-looking people, LeFou."

"Maybe," LeFou replied. He reached down and retrieved his ball again, and tossed it into the air.

Gaston stuck out his hand and caught it before it hit the ground.

"Wow, you're good!" exclaimed LeFou. He grinned broadly at the older boy. "I'll bet you can do everything."

Gaston smirked. "Ever been hunting?"

He shook his head. 

"Want to?" Gaston offered with a glint in his eye. "I brought my musket."

"You mean you'll take me with you?" LeFou's brown eyes widened. He grinned when Gaston nodded, but then his face fell. "But my parents wouldn't let us go."

"We don't have to tell them, LeFou. What they don't know won't hurt them. So let's go."

LeFou was of course persuaded easily, and the boys went inside to get the gun. Mother LeFou was in the kitchen, scrubbing a large pot. Her back was to them, so they snuck past to the boys' room undetected, and then went out the window. They snickered as they ran off into the woods. 

"The most important thing is to be quiet and still," Gaston whispered when they slowed down. LeFou nodded, his eyes wide with excitement. "There's wildlife all around, if you take the time to look. Squirrels, rabbits, deer,  _ wolves_," he grinned at his cousin's shudder.

The boys picked their way carefully through the woods, Gaston holding the gun at the ready. He stopped as he spotted a movement in the tree ahead. He deftly raised it and fired, and a squirrel fell at LeFou's feet. 

"Wow! Gaston, you hit one!"

Gaston merely smirked and reloaded the gun. "Of course. I'm a great hunter. As long as you're with me, we'll always be able to get some meat."

LeFou grinned goofily. "You're so good at everything, Gaston. I think you'll have it all when you grow up."

"What do you mean?"

"You're talented, Gaston!" LeFou cried as Gaston raised an eyebrow. "You just shot a squirrel out of a tree. You're the only one I've ever met who can do that. You're an amazing hunter, you can fire a gun, an arrow, you can eat anything without getting sick. You're the quickest runner, and you're strong."

"Not that strong," Gaston muttered as he remembered the bullies from earlier.

"But when you get older, your muscles are sure to grow, Gaston," LeFou insisted. "Me, I think I'll be dumpy like this forever. But you'll grow tall, and handsome, and all the girls will swoon when they lay eyes on you." He clasped his hands and fluttered his eyelids, mimicking a lady. 

Gaston snorted. "You really think so, huh." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as LeFou stared up at him with adoration. Then he grinned and punched LeFou's shoulder playfully. "Hey, I bet we can bring home everything I hit and have a big supper!"

"That'd be great, Gaston!"

LeFou picked up the dead squirrel by the tail and followed Gaston deeper into the forest.


	2. Promise

 

Chapter 2:  Promise

The boys were at that age.

Gaston and LeFou sat in the town square, munching on sweet pastries as they watched the passersby. Their curious and unabashed eyes followed a particularly pretty woman as she passed, her heavy perfume wafting lazily after her. They sighed, releasing their bated breaths as they did each time, then continued eating and waiting for the next showing.

LeFou hadn't changed much in the last three years. He was still short and pudgy, and the condition of his teeth hadn't improved much. His nose had grown bulbous like his father's, and his fingers were like sausages. LeFou's hair was a bit greasy, but whose wasn't? He wasn't much for looks in any case, and couldn't care less whether he was unattractive or not. 

Gaston, on the other hand, cared a great deal about his appearance. Over the past three years, he had picked up exceptional hygienic habits, which cleared up his acne. His freckles had begun to fade. His facial and bodily proportions had also evened out: his limbs were no longer too long, and now had a bit of muscle to them; his ears no longer stuck out; and his chin was now a considerably handsome feature. His hair was well-kept and combed back.

"LeFou," he whispered, reaching out and slapping his cousin on the shoulder. LeFou winced, but said nothing. Gaston never seemed to remember how strong he was, which resulted in quite a few bruises, for which the older boy often found himself apologizing later. "Look at that find specimen."

LeFou's eyes traveled to where Gaston's were. A girl their age in a bright yellow dress was standing outside the bookstore, speaking with the owner. Her long  auburn hair was tied back, and her smile lit up her whole face. Gaston stared at her, one side of his lips turned up in a smirk. 

"Is that the inventor's daughter?" LeFou squinted. "She's got some crazy genes in her, Gaston."

Gaston blinked and looked at him. "How do you mean?"

"Ah, right," LeFou laughed. "You never listen to gossip, Gaston. But that girl's father, the inventor, he's a lunatic. Always blowing things up, coming up with crazy ideas. None of them ever do any good. That's why her sisters left with their husbands to different towns; they were tired of facing the village's ridicule because of him."

Gaston frowned and gazed at Belle. "I see," he said. "How sad for her."

LeFou raised an eyebrow. "She's just as crazy as him. I mean, reading books all the time. No friends, really. A loner."

"Like us," Gaston said suddenly.

"Huh?"

He turned with a grin. "We're loners, too, LeFou." 

"But she's," LeFou trailed off with a wince at his cousin's expectant gaze.

Gaston smirked. "Ah, maybe you're right. We shouldn't associate with her. After all, there's plenty of girls here, all of them lucky to have such men as ourselves."

LeFou burst out laughing. "Men like _you_ , Gaston."

Gaston chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder a little harder than he meant to. "I suppose we're not men yet, LeFou. But one day, we'll have it all. As long as you're by my side, I'll be invincible!"

"And what makes me so special?" LeFou humored him.

An arm pulled LeFou against a strong physique. "You're my brother. Brothers have to stick together, right, LeFou?"

LeFou looked surprised for a moment, but when Gaston locked eyes with him, he smiled. "Yeah," he agreed. "Right."

"Let's make a promise, LeFou," Gaston said. "We'll always be brothers, no matter what. No leaving the other behind."

"Promise!"

They clasped hands, sealing the deal. And they grinned like idiots.  

* * *

 It was when the LeFous caught a terrible sickness that Gaston  LeGume was reminded just how fragile life  was. He had a stronger immune system than most, and was one of the few in the small community who had not fallen ill. No one knew what it was, really, except that it was terrifying. No doctor could treat the victims accurately, and could not determine the cause.  Maurice, the old inventor, had come into town claiming that mosquito bites in the sweltering summer heat  were the cause of the sickness. He was chased out of town before more of God's wrath was brought down unto them.   

Gaston didn't care what the cause was. All he wanted was for his family to get better, but that didn't seem likely by the severity of the symptoms. The Yellow Fever, as he dubbed it, was awful. The LeFous' skin had turned jaundiced, and they had high fevers with headaches and chills. They also suffered from muscle aches, and they vomited daily. He tried to keep them comfortable, but after just a few days he was tiring out himself, nearly sick with worry and fear himself. People had already begun to die, and he was terrified that he would be alone in the world again.

Everything had been fine three days before. A heat wave had passed over the town, the hottest summer anyone could remember in years. Of course that meant more insects, but they couldn't be responsible for the plague. Especially not mosquitoes. But then Father LeFou had been bedridden by the sickness, and not a few hours after that Mother LeFou was ill as well. Gaston was left in charge of the parents while Petit LeFou went to fetch the doctor. He came back an hour later, having been told that there was nothing to be done but to try and care for them. Then LeFou fell into a fever.

Gaston had moved LeFou's bed into his parents' room so that he could be with all of them at once. When one croaked for water, he fetched it immediately, and when one of them would cry out with pain he did his best to be comforting. If someone needed to go to the restroom he was there to help them there and back, and he kept cool  cloths on their foreheads to draw out the heat. He had secluded his family from the rest of the world, hoping that by doing so he could keep the infection away, to keep them from getting worse. He could keep them alive.

And by some miracle, they began to recover. 

Father and Mother LeFou were up and about again, and thanked Gaston graciously for his care. Young LeFou was ordered to remain in bed, however, so that he could regain all of his health. The boys were impatient to get out and go hunting, but stayed patient. The last thing anyone wanted was to get sick again.

For three days, the LeFous improved greatly. And then, suddenly, the Yellow Fever struck again. Mother was the first to be affected . She vomited violently, and what came forth was black as death. Gaston was horrified. The vomiting didn't stop, and she began bleeding from her nose, ears, and even from the pores in her skin. Despite the fact that she was quickly deteriorating, Mother LeFou insisted that she was fine. Those words came to be her last. Shortly before her death, Father LeFou came down with the same symptoms, though more severe. He was also delusional, stubbornly believing that he was getting better, when in fact he was dying.  And then it was just Gaston and LeFou, who was delirious with fever. 

For the first time in a long time, Gaston cried. He pleaded to a higher power, to anyone that might help him. He couldn't let LeFou die, he was all he had left now. He wished the sickness away even if some other poor soul had to get sick. He would become ill himself if it would help his brother. This way of dying was so much worse than any fire, he thought. At least his parents hadn't suffered as much as his aunt and uncle. At least maybe the smoke had killed them before the burn. 

LeFou didn't seem to be getting any better. He slept fitfully for most of the time, and when he was awake he was disoriented and confused. Gaston didn't dare to close his eyes. Surely if he did, LeFou would die, and he would be alone. Once LeFou seemed to remember where he was, and recognized Gaston after a moment of scrutiny. He asked for a peach.

Which Gaston readily went out for. He knew exactly where the peach tree was. LeFou and himself had happened upon it one day while hunting, and had partaken in their sweet, juicy taste. They marked it as theirs by carving their names into the trunk, then went on their way. When Gaston arrived in the tiny clearing in which the tree was, he was surprised to see how large and ripe they were this year. He presumed they did well in heat, then shut the thought out of his mind. He needed to hurry back to  LeFou. 

He skillfully scaled the tree, grabbed the lowest branch, and bent it down to his level. A cluster of peaches dangled enticingly on the end, and Gaston reached for them. 

"Excuse me, young lad," croaked a voice behind him. 

Gaston whipped around to see a haggard, bent old woman in a cloak. Her shawl was drawn tightly around her despite the heat, and her hood covered her face. Lank white hair hung freely from the hood. 

"Would you be so kind as to give an old woman a few fruit?" she asked. "I'd get them myself, but I am old and weak, and I have no money to buy some from the village. All I can offer in return is this rose."

Gaston  plucked two of the peaches and extended them toward her, still holding the branch down with his other arm. "Keep your rose, Madame," he said seriously. "I have no use for it, and I'm sure you could find another use for it. I am in a hurry, I must be getting back home."

"Ah," she said. "You are good and kindly." The woman moved forward and took the fruit. Her hand was smooth and beautiful. Gaston watched in awe as she stood straight, and her hair shimmered and turned a thick, lustrous blond. The enchantress threw her hood back to reveal a beautiful young woman with dazzling green eyes and pale skin.

"You, you," Gaston stuttered fearfully.

She laughed melodically. "In return for your kindness, I will grant you a gift. I can see what your heart desires the most, and you shall have it."

Gaston could only stare at her. His eyes were distrusting, but also full of hope. 

"Take your fruit to your cousin. He is waiting for your return," she said. "Ah, but one last thing...By the end of your twenty-first year, you must fall in love, and earn  her love in return. This is the price of all my gifts."

Gaston frowned but nodded. When he blinked, the enchantress was gone. He looked at the peaches in his hand, and shook his head. Was he coming down with the fever, too? He was hallucinating, about sorceresses, no less. Once again he forced the thought from his mind and practically ran back the house. 

"LeFou," Gaston said softly as he entered the room. "I--" He stopped abruptly when he saw that the boy wasn't in his bed. "LeFou!"

"Hey, you got the peach," said a voice behind him.

Gaston whipped around to see LeFou, standing on his own two feet. LeFou took one of the peaches, scratching his horrible case of  bedhead with his other hand. "Thanks, Gaston. You're the best!"

"LeFou," Gaston uttered again, horribly shocked.

"I know, I know," LeFou said. "I look awful. But I feel great now, really. It's all thanks to you taking care of me." He took a bite of the peach, and the juice dribbled down his chin. 

"You should get back in bed," Gaston said sternly, ushering the shorter boy to it. "You're still very sick!"

LeFou looked at Gaston almost thoughtfully. "I'm fine, really."

Gaston scowled. "That's what Mother and Father said. They said it until they  died,  LeFou, so get in bed!"

LeFou rubbed his nose. "Whatever you say, Gaston," he conceded. 

After two days of exceptional health, Gaston finally agreed that LeFou had miraculously been cured. He'd told LeFou of his encounter in the woods with the enchantress, and how he must fall in love before the end of his twenty-first year. Neither of them mentioned the poor Mother and Father LeFou again.


	3. Rude and Conceited

 

Chapter 3: Rude and Conceited

"It's all about the confidence, Gaston," LeFou said, holding up a finger like an instructor. "Beautiful women love confidence."

Gaston rubbed his chin uncertainly. "Are you sure,  LeFou ? I mean, that would make me seem kind of like a jerk..."

"They love jerks!" exclaimed LeFou, throwing his arms up. "Have you seen the way the men at the  tavern  treat them? They eat it up."

"Only the young, good-looking men," Gaston replied matter-of-factly.

"And you're a young, good-looking man, Gaston."

Gaston frowned and looked at his reflection in the mirror beside them. They were in the kitchen, where they spent most of their time when they were at home. They only entered their bedrooms to sleep. LeFou had moved into his parents' room. "Hm."

"Not to mention all your trophies, your charm, your strength, your talents," LeFou rambled off. "Come on, Gaston, no one's better than you! Women are gonna be falling all over you."

The older boy moved his head from side to side in a half-agreement. "Maybe." He returned to his reflection and continued to run the comb through his dark hair, finishing off the look by tying it back neatly. LeFou hadn't bothered with the comb--he simply swept it back and fastened it.

"You haven't got forever, Gaston. Remember what the old  lady said?" He pointed to Gaston. "By the end of your twenty-first year, you've got to fall in love and be loved in return. I mean, everyone already loves you, so you just have to find someone you like!"

"I've got three years, LeFou," Gaston shrugged. "I'm sure I'll meet someone."

"Of course you will," LeFou assured him with a goofy grin. "No one can say no to you, Gaston!"

"I'm quite sure they can, LeFou."

"The trick is to not let them say no," he replied cunningly. "Use your fists if you have to. Women like a man who knows what he wants and how to get it. And plus, everyone will respect you!"

Gaston rolled his eyes. 

"You deserve respect, Gaston," LeFou continued. "After everything you've been through, after everything you've done, and all the things you can do--If anyone deserves a good life, it's you!"

At this Gaston looked rather flattered.  "LeFou, I don't know what to say..."

"What do you say that tomorrow we head out to the bar and meet some ladies?" LeFou waggled his eyebrows. Gaston grinned and pulled his cousin into a crushing hug.   

* * *

 On his own, he floundered. His tongue twisted his words, his hands shook with anxiety, and he felt as though his chest were constricting. Gaston had earned many a strange look from pretty women, most of whom walked away when he couldn't string together a coherent sentence. But when LeFou stepped in, he felt much more comfortable. LeFou was a naturally sociable guy, and his enthusiasm was infectious. Eventually, it was LeFou who took the lead in starting up the conversation, and Gaston eased himself into the situation; then the younger cousin allowed himself to become the background, and then to fade out of the interaction altogether, leaving the two to get to know one another.  

Gaston heeded LeFou's advice and spoke about himself and his own qualities, rather than focusing on the girl. She would take interest and bat her eyes at him, watching the way his muscles moved under his shirt, the way his dark hair shone in the light, the way his eyes seemed to keep her enraptured with their frozen beauty. While he enjoyed the attention, he could never keep interested for long. LeFou assured him that he just needed to spend more time with them, get to know them. He reasoned, "How can you know you love someone before you know them?" Gaston agreed and stepped up his game, making sure his accomplishments and good looks were well noticed.

Somewhere along the way, it became his nature to be chauvinistic and flirtatious. Three years passed, and the most interest he had taken in any girls were with the triplets they referred to as "The Bimbettes." Several other men had their eyes on them as well, but when Gaston had gotten into a fistfight and came out with a flawless victory, they had stood down and respected Gaston. Some even admired his strength, and LeFou didn't waste a moment in egging it on. He made sure that everyone knew that Gaston was superior in every way--the finest male specimen in town.

And his twenty-first summer finally rolled around.

"I don't know, LeFou," Gaston sighed as he took aim. "I'm starting to think I'll never fall in love."

"Nonsense, Gaston," LeFou replied. "You just have to meet the right girl. I'm sure once you see her it'll be love at first sight."

"Love at first sight, eh?" he repeated. He pulled the trigger, and the shot rang out. 

A goose plummeted to the ground as the others broke formation in their panic. LeFou ran underneath it with a bag held out to catch it, but of course he missed and it crashed to the dirt beside him. He cringed at it before bagging it and exclaiming, "Wow! You didn't miss a shot, Gaston! You're the best hunter in the whole world."

Gaston blew the smoke emitting from the barrel.  "I know!" He spotted a familiar girl and took a few steps toward her, hardly able to believe his eyes. 

"Huh. No beast alive stands a chance against you...And no girl, for that matter!" LeFou said, scurrying after him.

"It's true, LeFou," Gaston said with a gleam in his eye. He pulled LeFou close to him and pointed toward the girl with his gun. "And I've got my sights set on that one."

"The inventor's daughter?" LeFou asked, looking at her. She was reading a book in her hands as she stood in front of an old woman, apparently exchanging pleasantries.

"She's the one!" Gaston said enthusiastically. "The lucky girl I'm going to marry."

"But she's--" 

"The most beautiful girl in town," Gaston interrupted, releasing LeFou to slick back his hair. 

"I know, but--" LeFou was interrupted again as Gaston absentmindedly thrust his gun at him, hitting him in the face. He scowled, covering his eye with one hand.

"And that makes her the best," Gaston continued. He grabbed LeFou's collar and grimaced at him. "And don't I deserve the best?"

LeFou stuttered in his surprise. Gaston had never shown this much gusto when speaking of other girls. "Well, of course, I mean you do, but I mean..." He trailed off as Gaston released him, apparently pleased with his incomplete response. 

"Right from the moment when I met her, saw her," he said, "I said she's gorgeous and I fell." 

LeFou blinked in surprise, then smirked a little. _Love at first sight_ , he thought. Gaston seemed completely immersed in checking his reflection in a hanging skillet beside him. He was making sure he was perfect before approaching the girl. Belle waved farewell to the woman and walked past the men. LeFou tried to get Gaston's attention, but he had continued speaking.

"Here in town there's only she who is as beautiful as me. So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle." He suddenly noticed that she was gone, and then spotted her as she disappeared into the crowd. Gaston set off after her, passing the Bimbettes without sparing a glance. 

LeFou halted beside the girls for a moment to eye their beauty. Unlike Gaston, he had always had a great reverence for them. They leaned forward onto the lever for the water pump, drenching LeFou unintentionally. He scowled haughtily and marched off after Gaston. 

Despite the fact that Belle seemed completely immersed in her book, she maneuvered deftly through the crowd. Gaston, not far behind, ran into several obstacles and lost sight of her blue skirt and auburn hair several times. It was as though a higher power were trying to keep her from him. Gaston pointed a finger up to the heavens and said to the power, "Just watch, I'm going to make Belle my wife!"

The crowd thickened and Gaston could not see any discernable way through them. Then he looked up and saw that he was standing beside the window of a two-story house, and a cunning smile lit his face. He climbed into the window and then ran to the stairs, finding the room with a window that led out the opposite side of the house. As he stepped out of it, he looked below and saw Belle. Another smile, and then he had leapt to the roof of the next house. Gaston jumped down the other side and waited. 

When she neared, he jumped out before her, hands on his hips and a confident grin on his face. He didn't need LeFou this time. "Hello, Belle."

She glanced up at him. " _Bonjour_ , Gaston," she replied. Before she could continue reading, the book was snatched from her hands. She gasped with an offended frown and turned to him. "Gaston, may I have my book back, please?" 

She made to grab it, but Gaston turned his body away. He flipped the pages with his thumb and gave the book a derisive look. "How can you read this? There's no pictures!"

Belle folded her arms and gave Gaston a smirk, deciding to go along with it. "Well, some people use their imaginations."

At this Gaston closed the book and looked over his shoulder at her. "Belle," he said as he shook the book at her. She reached for it but he tossed it aside. "It's about time you got your head out of those books--" Belle's book splashed into a mud puddle and Belle ran to save it, but Gaston put his boot in front of it. "--and paid attention to more important things. Like me!" he smirked as she glared up at him. 

Belle reached around his leg and picked her book out of the mud. It dripped, much to her disdain. Gaston paced a few steps as he spoke to her. "It's not right for a woman to read--soon she starts getting ideas...and thinking!" He grimaced at his own words. 

"Gaston," Belle said with an apologetic smile, "you are positively primeval."

"Why thank you, Belle," he said, taking a rather large step towards her. "Hey,  whaddya say you and me take a walk over to the tavern and take a look at my hunting trophies." As he suggested this he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and took her book again, then held it out as though leading a donkey with a carrot.

Belle managed to wrench the book away from him. "Please, Gaston. I can't." She turned and began to walk away, saying over her shoulder, "I have to get home and help my father. Goodbye."

Gaston looked quite offended and a bit crushed, and  LeFou, who had been watching from a distance as he always did, stepped up to help him out. He laughed. "That crazy old loon, he needs all the help he can get!"

Gaston couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing along with his cousin heartily. He stopped and looked up when Belle, with her hands on her hips, snapped, "Don't you talk about my father that way!"

"Yeah," Gaston said suddenly, turning on LeFou. "Don’t talk about her father that way!" He lightly conked LeFou on the head with a wink, although he once again forgot his own strength and came down harder than he had meant to.

"My father's not crazy! He's a genius!" Belle said heatedly. She gasped and turned at the sound of an explosion behind her, and she saw smoke pour from her home. The girl ran off, leaving Gaston and LeFou to guffaw at the old man's antics, and the ridiculous notion that his ideas were worth something.

"I think she likes me," Gaston said when he could control himself, wiping his eyes. "She doesn't act like the other girls. She actually talked to me like a regular person!"

LeFou grinned. "You're definitely in love, Gaston! Belle is lucky."

Gaston's happy grin only widened.


	4. Rejected and Dejected

 

Chapter 4: Rejected and Dejected

They  crouched behind the low rock wall outside the cottage where Belle and her father lived. Gaston moved a small tree out of his way. He was dressed more than he was normally--after all, it was a special occasion today. 

"Heh. Oh boy!" LeFou whispered with an excited grin. "Belle's gonna get the surprise of her life, eh Gaston?"

"Yep." Gaston smirked. "This is her lucky day!" He turned and walked back to where a small wedding reception was being prepared, just out of sight of the cottage. "I'd like to thank you all for coming to my wedding. But first, I'd better go in there and..." He jokingly made a gesture that suggested he were telling a secret. "...propose to the girl," he finished with a chuckle. The  minsiter and other guests laughed with him, while the Bimbettes sobbed heartbrokenly.

"Now you, LeFou," Gaston said seriously, in a tone that said he was counting on him. "When Belle and I come out that door--"

"I know! I know!" LeFou cried excitedly. "I strike up the band!"  He turned and began to conduct the band in  _ Here Comes the Bride_. Gaston grabbed the nearest baritone and dropped it over LeFou's head, silencing the music. 

"Not yet!" he hissed. 

"Sorry."

Gaston pulled the instrument off of his cousin's head and handed it back to its owner. "No, I'm sorry. It's just...I'm really nervous. What if she says no?"

"Gaston! There's no way she'll say no. Now get in there and bring her out for the wedding. Today's your happily ever after!" LeFou gave him a push, and Gaston stumbled a little before righting himself and strolling up to the door. 

He raised his fist to knock, but hesitated and looked over his shoulder. LeFou gave him a thumbs-up and an ushering motion before hiding himself from view. Gaston took a deep breath and knocked. While he waiting for her to answer the door, he practiced his best charming smile.

The door was pushed open and he immediately stepped in, startling Belle into stepping back. "Gaston," she uttered. "What a pleasant...surprise."

"Isn't it, though?" he replied, tucking his thumbs into his fancy belt. "I'm just full of surprises." He stepped forward and leaned on the hallway dresser. "You know, Belle, there's not a girl in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes. This is the day--" He suddenly noticed his reflection in the mirror and cleaned his teeth with his tongue before turning back to her. "This is the day your dreams  come true." 

He continued to approach her, spreading his arms dramatically as she scurried back and put the table between herself and him. "What do you know about my dreams, Gaston?" she asked apprehensively.

"Plenty. Here, picture this." Gaston plopped down into the chair and propped his muddy boots up onto the table, where Belle's book happened to be. She looked at them distastefully, but when he continued to speak she turned and forced herself to give him a polite smile. "A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire." He laced his fingers together behind his head as he made eye contact with her. As he spoke he began to kick off his boots and wiggled his toes through his holey socks. "And my little wife, massaging my feet, while the little ones play with the dogs."

Belle looked positively disgusted and pinched her nostrils closed at the smell. When Gaston pushed his grinning face next to hers she forced another polite smile.

"We'll have six or seven," he said.

"Dogs?" she asked hopefully, feigning ignorance.

"No, Belle," Gaston said good-naturedly. "Strapping boys, like me!"

Belle picked up her book. "Imagine that," she said unenthusiastically. She placed a marker in her page and set the book on the shelf. 

"And do you know who that wife will be?" Gaston prompted, sneaking up behind her.

Belle made a horrified face as she was still turned away from him. "Let me think..."

"You, Belle," Gaston said, placing his hands on the wall on either side of her. She ducked under his arm to escape. 

"Gaston, I'm," she said, placing the rocker chair between them, "speechless. I really don't know what to say." She suddenly got an idea and smiled cunningly as she leaned against the door. 

Gaston pushed the chair out of his way and approached her. She was playing hard to get, and it was a game he was quickly tiring of. He trapped her again. "Say you'll marry me," he said. 

"I'm very sorry, Gaston," she said. "But I just don't deserve you." Her hand grasped the doorknob and turned it. Just as the door swung open, she ducked underneath Gaston, who tumbled head-first into the mud. 

The band immediately began to play. Belle set Gaston's boots outside the door and slammed it. LeFou looked over his shoulder, expecting to see a happy couple, but cut the band off frantically when he saw Gaston lying in the mud. When he saw that the man wasn't hurt, LeFou broke out in a grin and asked, "So, how'd it go?"

Gaston grabbed LeFou by the collar, and the intense look on his filthy face almost frightened him. "I'll have Belle for my wife," Gaston said in a hard voice. "Make no mistake about that!" Then he pushed LeFou into the mud and stalked away, dejected.

LeFou huffed haughtily and looked at the pig. "Touchy!"  

* * *

 The tavern was lively, as it was every night. The men would finish work for the day and head off to wind down before returning home to their suppers. The young, single ladies would attend, if only to see Gaston one last time before bed.   

But tonight Gaston was not drinking, or conversing, or even fighting. He sat in his chair before the blazing fire, staring into the flames with a brooding expression. LeFou maneuvered through the jostling crowd with two pints. 

"Who does she think she is?" Gaston muttered. "That girl has tangled with the wrong man. No one says no to Gaston!" 

"Darn right!" LeFou piped up, handing a beer to Gaston. 

"Dismissed," Gaston said, grabbing both glasses. "Rejected. Publicly  humiliated. Why," he said, tossing the pints into the fire, "it's more than I can bear."

"More beer?" LeFou offered.

"What for?" Gaston replied, turning his chair to face away from him. "Nothing helps. I'm disgraced."

LeFou moved around to stand in front of him. "Who? You?" he held up his hands. "Never."

Gaston turned his chair again, his back now to the fire. 

LeFou moved in front again. "Gaston, you've got to pull yourself together." He hit him lightly on the arm.

Gaston rolled his eyes and turned his head to look away from him.

"Gosh, it disturbs me to see you, Gaston," LeFou said, "looking so down in the dumps. Every guy here'd love to be you!" He put his thumbs on either side of Gaston's lips, forcing them up in a smile. Gaston only scowled and punched LeFou, who was undeterred. Gaston turned his chair to face the fire again.

"There's no man in town as admired as you," he continued. "You're everyone's favorite guy!" 

The man only looked sour.

"Everyone's awed and inspired by you," LeFou said, spreading his arms. "And it's not very hard to see why!"

"As a specimen, yes," Gaston said, "I'm intimidating."

LeFou's smile broadened. "Gaston is the best and all the rest drips!" he snickered the familiar chant that he had made up years ago. 

Gaston smirked. "You're right, LeFou. I'll just have to find a way to make Belle fall in love with me, that's all." Neither of the men spoke aloud that his final year was drawing to a close in a matter of days.

"Help!" cried Maurice, Belle's scraggly father, as he burst through the door. He looked around frantically. "Someone help me!"

Gaston frowned in concern and watched as Maurice scurried to the bar and grabbed a patron. "Please, please, I need your help!" 

He ran to a table and gripped a man's scarf. "He's got her! He's got her locked in the dungeon."

"Who?"

"Belle," he answered, turning to another person with wild eyes. "We must go. Not a minute to lose!"

"Whoa," Gaston finally spoke up from his chair. "Slow down, Maurice." He smirked at his antics and spread his arms. "Who's got Belle locked in a dungeon?"

"A beast!" Maurice ran towards Gaston. "A horrible, monstrous beast!"

There was a moment of silence before the patrons in the bar burst out in laughter.

"Is it a big beast?" asked an old man, amused.

"Huge!" Maurice uttered.

"With a long, ugly snout?"

"Hideously ugly!"

"And sharp, cruel fangs?"

"Yes, yes," Maurice said. "Will you help me?"

"All right, old man," Gaston said. "We'll help you out."

"You will?" Maurice turned to Gaston with relief. "Oh, thank you, thank you!"

A group of men grabbed him and tossed him out the door of the tavern and into the snow, laughing uproariously. 

"Crazy old Maurice," one chuckled. "He's always good for a laugh!"

Gaston frowned pensively. "Crazy old Maurice, hm? Crazy old Maurice...Hm. LeFou, I'm afraid I've been thinking."

"A dangerous pas time," LeFou replied slowly.

"I know," Gaston replied. "But that wacky old coot is Belle's father, and his sanity is only so-so. Now the wheels in my head have been turning since I looked at that loony old man. See, I promised myself I'd be married to Belle, and right now I'm evolving a plan!" He pulled LeFou close to him and began to whisper into his ear.

"Yes?" LeFou said as he listened and nodded. "No, would she?"

"Guess!" Gaston exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

"Now I get it!" LeFou grinned with his cousin.  

* * *

"I don't usually leave the asylum in the middle of the night," said the gravelly voice of Monsieur D'Arque, "but they said you'd make it worth my while."

Gaston reached into his pocket and tossed a bag of gold coins on the table.

"Ah," D'Arque said as he held one up to scrutinize it. He scraped it on his chin and continued, "I'm listening."

Gaston leaned forward and confided, "It's like this. I've got my heart on marrying Belle, but she needs a little persuasion."

LeFou butted in, "Turned him down flat!"

Gaston elbowed him to shut him up. "Everyone knows her father's a lunatic. He was in here tonight raving about a beast in a castle."

"Maurice is harmless," said D'Arque, looking a bit surprised.

"The point is," Gaston hissed, "Belle would do anything to keep him from being locked up."

"Yeah," LeFou added, "even marry him!"

Gaston gave LeFou a threatening look and moved as though to backhand him. LeFou flinched and hid behind his mug. 

D'Arque spoke, looking a bit uncertain. "So you want me to throw her father in the asylum unless she agrees to marry you?" The men nodded in agreement. He shook his head. "Oh, that is despicable." Then he grinned. "I love it!"   

* * *

 Gaston slammed the cottage door open. "Belle! Maurice!" he announced his arrival to the dark home.  

"Oh well," LeFou said nervously, "looks like it's not gonna work after all." He was having second thoughts about the plan.

Gaston grabbed the back of his shirt and dragged him outside. "They have to come back sometime, and when they do, we'll be ready for them." He pushed LeFou into a steep snowbank by the porch. "LeFou, don't move from that spot until Belle and her father come home!"

"But, but," LeFou stuttered as Gaston jumped onto the back of the asylum's carriage and rode away. "Aw, nuts!"

As he rode away, Gaston frowned sadly. He felt horribly guilty, but his twenty-first year was almost up. He was desperate. He didn't want to die! If only he could simply change who he loved--but he couldn't! Why did Belle have to be Belle? Why did she have to remind him so much of the loved ones he had lost long ago? It had to be this way, it had to be Belle. If his plan failed, Gaston was a dead man.

He shivered, but he wasn't sure it was from the cold.


	5. Battle on the Tower

 

Chapter 5:  Battle on the Tower

Gaston's guilt only worsened as he watched D'Arque step up to the door and raise his hand to knock. LeFou had come to tell them that Belle had arrived just a few moments before, and they had taken the asylum's carriage back to the cottage. Gaston felt sick. But it had to be done.

Belle answered the door. "May I help you?" Gaston heard her ask faintly.

"I've come to collect your father," D'Arque replied, stepping aside to show the D'Loons wagon behind him. 

"My father?" Belle looked quite shocked.

"Don't worry, mademoiselle," D'Arque said in a not-so-assuring voice. "We'll take good care of him."

"My father's not crazy." Belle shook her head firmly. Gaston forced away his strong sense of self-loathing and put on his smug face--at least, he hoped it looked smug.

LeFou pushed his way through the crowd that had followed the wagon in curiosity. "He was raving like a lunatic!" he cried. "We all heard him, didn't we!"

"Yeah!" chorused several bystanders.

"No, I won't let you," Belle said. By this time, Maurice had come out of his home.

"Belle?" he asked.

LeFou laughed. "Ah, Maurice. Tell us again, old man, just how big was that beast?" 

Maurice struggled to answer. "Well, he was...that is...enormous. I'd say at least eight, no, more like ten feet."

The crowd laughed at him.

"Well," LeFou shrugged, "you don't get much crazier than that."

"It's true, I tell you!" Maurice insisted.

D'Arque waved his hand, and his orderlies moved forward to grab the old man. They picked him up and carried him toward the wagon.

Belle put her hands on D'Arque, pleading. "No, you can't do this!" He shook her off and moved away.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Gaston said as he approached the crest-fallen girl. "Poor Belle. It's a shame about your father."

"You know he's not crazy, Gaston," Belle said bitterly.

Gaston felt stung at her tone, but he didn't let it show. "I might be able to clear up this little misunderstanding, if..."

"If what?" Belle asked.

"If you marry me."

"What?" Belle looked disgusted.

"One little word, Belle," Gaston struggled to keep his mask in place. "That's all it takes."

"Never!"

"Have it your way," Gaston shrugged. He turned and began to walk slowly away. _Please_ , he thought sadly. _Belle, if only you would understand_...

"Belle?" Maurice called as he was thrown roughly into the wagon. "Let go of me!" 

Belle turned and sprinted back into the house, and then reappeared with a handheld mirror. "My father's not crazy," she yelled out to the crowd, "and I can prove it!" She looked down at the mirror and said, "Show me the beast." Belle held it up for all to see as it shone brightly, then revealed a picture of a depressed Beast.

The crowd gasped and murmured. Gaston was utterly surprised. Then he suddenly realized that his plan had failed. Maurice had been proved sane, thus losing Gaston his last playing card. A sense of despair filled him as he looked at the monster in the mirror. But then he remembered something: Years ago, when he had first met Belle, she had said she loved heroes--heroes that defeated monsters and saved the dames. 

"Is it dangerous?" asked a woman.

"Oh, no," Belle assured her. "He'd never hurt anyone." She addressed the crowd again. "Please, I know he looks vicious, but he's really kind and gentle. He's my friend."

Gaston stepped forward. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you have feelings for this monster."

"He's no monster, Gaston. _You_ are!" Belle spat. 

Something snapped in Gaston, and he snatched the mirror from her hands. "She's as crazy as the old man!"  He turned to the crowd with a frightening look. "The beast will make off with your children! He'll come after them in the night." Several women pulled their children closer to them.

"No!" cried Belle. 

Gaston ignored her and continued his rant. "We're not safe 'til his head is mounted on my wall! I say we kill the beast!" He raised the mirror into the air as though it were a sword.

The crowd roared with approval.

"We're not safe until he's dead," said one man, pounding a fist into his hand.

Another chimed, "He'll come stalking us at night!"

An old woman turned to her daughter and granddaughters. "Set to sacrifice our children to his monstrous appetite!"

A burly man had lit a torch in the night, and now looked angry. "He'll wreak havoc on our village if we let him wander free."

Gaston grabbed a torch from another man. "So it's time to take some action, boys. It's time to follow me!" He flung the torch onto a haystack, lighting it and throwing shadows across the yard. "Kill the beast!" 

"No, I won't let you do this!" Belle interjected, making a grab for the mirror.

Gaston caught her wrist and held her at bay. "If you're not with us, you're against us. Bring the old man."

The orderlies carried Maurice to the cellar and tossed him in ungracefully as the old man demanded that they release him. Belle cried out as Gaston threw her in after him. "We can't have them running off to warn the creature," he said as the doors were slammed shut.

"Let us out!" Belle threw her shoulder against the locked doors.

"We'll rid the village of this beast!" Gaston yelled over the roar of the crowd. "Who's with me?"

The crowd's approval and bloodlust rose to a deafening clamor, and more torches were lit. Farming tools were chosen as weapons and raised into the air. Gaston mounted a black steed led the way through the town and into the forest, brandishing the glowing mirror. 

"We'll lay siege to his castle and bring back his head!" Gaston cried.

As they trekked through the dark forest, it began to rain. A storm was coming. But that didn't deter the murderous mob. The castle loomed into sight in the distance, and then the drawbridge was visible. They stomped onwards.

"Take whatever booty you can find," Gaston said over his shoulder, "but remember, the beast is mine!"

The mob readied the ram they had brought with them. A loud bang resonated throughout the castle as it made contact with the thick doors. They pulled back and struck again, and then again, and again. "Kill the beast! Kill the beast!" they chanted.

They stopped abruptly when the doors swung open invitingly. The men put the battering ram down and looked around cautiously. The grand entrance hall was filled with furniture. They tiptoed in, awaiting any signs of an attack. LeFou picked up a candlestick--which happened to be Lumiere, who shouted, "Now!"

The furniture came to life and attacked, much to the men's surprise. They quickly snapped out of their immobilization and fought back. None of the villagers had much experience in battling cabinets or footstools, but they improvised. Gaston broke away from the mob and bolted up the staircase. He was searching for the beast.

All of the doors in the musty hallway were opened, and Gaston glanced carefully into each dark room. All were empty and quiet. He could hear the fighting continuing downstairs. He would have to go back and help those poor fools once his battle was finished. There, at the end of the long corridor, was a great closed door. Gaston reckoned the beast was there. He would kill him and end the accursed spell that kept Belle from him.

He reached the doors and notched an arrow. Then he eased his way into the room, eyes squinting into the darkness. Gaston spotted the forlorn beast by the window and nearly choked. The monster was as big as Maurice had claimed! He pulled his wits back in order and then leapt out, arrow poised.

Beast looked back at the man, then lowered his gaze with a sad moan. 

Gaston let the arrow fly, and it struck Beast in the shoulder. He screamed  and stood, arching his back in agony. The man ran at him and delivered a powerful kick that sent Beast sprawling through the window and onto the balcony. 

Gaston laughed victoriously and jumped through the jagged glass expertly. He had the beast cornered. "Get up!" he taunted. "Get up! " Another kick made Beast tumble over the railing and onto the roof below. He came to rest on the turret. 

Gaston leapt down and landed before him. "What's the matter, Beast? Too kind and gentle to fight back?" The Beast merely lowered his head, and Gaston turned. A carved stone spike on the edge of the turret would do nicely. He approached the beast with his weapon raised. He was going to win. He was going to live!

"No!" cried Belle from the bridge. 

Beast heard and his blue eyes searched for her. "Belle. "

"Gaston, don't!"

Gaston didn't hear nor see her. His intent was solely on Beast, and he swung the bludgeon down hard. But before it could smash Beast's skull, a strong paw stopped it. Beast stood and towered over Gaston, who still held to the weapon. At the Beast's menacing growl, Gaston felt fear to his very core. 

Beast pushed the man away, but Gaston still held to the spike as he scurried across the roof. The beast crawled after him, swiping with dangerous claws. Gaston swung back, desperately trying to keep the thing at bay. But the beast tore the weapon from his grip, and he lost his balance. Gaston managed to save himself by clinging to the edge of the roof. Beast lunged and tackled the man, throwing them both to another part of the roof.

Somehow Gaston managed to kick the Beast away, and he saw that he had miraculously landed with his spike in arm's reach. He picked it up and looked up to see that Beast had disappeared in the thick, pounding rain. Then he spotted him crouched nearby, and brought the bludgeon down onto his head with as much force as he could muster. The stone gargoyle crumbled, and Gaston blinked in surprise. 

"Come on out and fight!" Gaston said angrily. He hoped his anger would mask his terror. "Were you in love with her, Beast?" He moved cautiously between the rows of hulking gargoyles, weapon raised. "Did you honestly think she'd want _you_ when she had someone like _me_?"

He gasped when he heard a sound behind him. Gaston was almost too afraid to look back, but he knew his life depended on it. He swung the spike as he turned, but the beast dodged it easily and grabbed it in his fangs. The beast pulled Gaston off balance, but then lost his grip and stumbled back as Gaston took the chance to swing again. Now Beast was on the edge of the roof with nowhere to go.

"It's over, Beast!" Gaston said with a crazed expression. "Belle is mine!" 

Beast snarled and jumped at him as he raised to strike, forcing him to drop it and fall backwards to escape. But Gaston was left vulnerable, and Beast's large paw wrapped tightly around the man's neck and dangled him over the edge.

Terrified, Gaston held onto Beast's arm for dear life. "Put me down!" he choked out. "Put me down! Please, don't hurt me! I'll do anything! Anything!"

Gaston moaned in relief as Beast's expression changed and he pulled Gaston back onto the roof. His legs collapsed, a condition that was not improved when Beast leaned down and uttered, "Get out." Beast pushed him as if to punctuate his order.

"Beast!" Belle cried, her voice just carrying over the pounding rain.

"Belle?"  The Beast looked up at the balcony, which Belle looked over with relieved eyes. She extended her hand to him. He began to scale the castle tower, and when he reached the railing he flung himself heavily over the side. "You came back!" he sighed, caressing her face with a large hand.

The lovers shared a relieved look, and stared passionately into each other's eyes. Belle  lovingly took his hand in both of hers.  Neither took notice of the freezing rain.

The moment was interrupted as  Beast roared in pain, arching his back. Gaston had snuck up behind him and stabbed him. He pulled the knife free from the cursed prince's flesh and swung his arm back to strike again. The Beast began to fall, and Gaston suddenly lost his balance. A helpless Belle reached forward and grabbed the collar of Beast's shirt, saving him from doom.  The less fortunate  Gaston dropped the knife as he lost his grip, and he plummeted from the tower, arms  pinwheeling. The last he saw was Belle, and the Beast in her arms.

It wasn't fair at all, Gaston thought in the split second before he hit the ground. Then everything was gone.


End file.
